


A river to skate away on

by frostysunflowers



Series: A Life of Melody [4]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Christmas stuff but only a little bit, Domestic Avengers, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Feels, Fluff, Hurt Peter Parker, Hurt/Comfort, Memory Loss, Not Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Precious Peter Parker, cheese ahoy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-24
Updated: 2019-04-24
Packaged: 2020-01-31 09:05:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18588094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frostysunflowers/pseuds/frostysunflowers
Summary: Peter has survived a spider bite, a building falling on him, turning to dust and being a teenager.He can handle anything.Except being forgotten.





	A river to skate away on

**Author's Note:**

> Once again, what started off as a short thing ended up being waaaaay longer than I anticipated and took on a completely different direction than I originally planned. Basically I've done this for all the needed cheese and fluff and I am not sorry in the slightest. Before that though, bit of a lengthy note ahead, feel free to skip if you wish!
> 
> For me, Endgame hasn’t happened. It will happen tomorrow and right now it feels a bit like a case of Shrodinger’s cat; until I see the film, nothing changes, the ones I’m worried about are still alive and anything is possible. I don’t know what’s going to happen, I have my ideas and my worries, but what I will say is that no matter what happens, I hope we all still keep coming back, still give our love to this fandom, still love the films and the characters like we always have. 
> 
> I genuinely get so attached to fictional characters and universes, like they were totally real and the MCU fandom and all the stories within it, particularly the Tony and Peter ones, mean so much to me and have brought me joy and comfort and angsty feels over the years and I hope that doesn’t end any time soon, no matter what the outcome of Endgame is. I’ll still be here, reading fics until 4am and crying over and loving these characters as madly as I always have. Especially Tony <3
> 
> Anyway, I had to get this out before I went to see the film, before things change forever in some way or another. God knows why it became a fic set during Christmas so apologies for that, it’s only a small detail so hopefully it’s not too bothersome to read during the month of April haha. There is no scientific or logical or medical backing to the events in this story, I have written this purely for the feels so apologies again, I am only dedicated to the emotional side of my craft!  
> This would take place a while after the last section of 'Life is the song, love is the music,' but can technically be read as a stand alone. 
> 
> Apologies for any errors! Enjoy!

Fighting weird space creatures in the middle of New York City was one thing.

Fighting them in the middle of November during a small blizzard was just something else. 

Winter had come early and Peter didn’t like it one bit.

With visibility low and the ceaseless desire to just get warm at the front of his mind, Peter had found the battle gruelling and tiresome. The others had felt much the same, muttering grouchy one-liners and snarling shivery profanities over the comms. 

Despite the less than ideal conditions, the fight had gone well and soon enough they had emerged the victors, with Thor promising to make Loki apologise for his mischievous actions. 

Then Tony went down. 

One stray creature had remained and had taken a shot at Iron Man as he flew to join the others on the ground, catching him off guard and sending him careening into the side of a building. The others had barely caught a glimpse of something red and gold falling through the snow before there was the horrendous sound of metal hitting concrete.

Peter had been the first to reach him, frantically patting at the chilly chest plate as Tony remained silent no matter how much Peter begged him to talk.

The journey back to the tower had been fraught and it was only when the specialist doctors in the medbay had managed to get Tony out of his suit and check him over that they were reassured that he was going to be fine, that he had only sustained some mild cuts and bruises and a small knock to the head. 

Then Tony had woken up and it turned out that the small knock on the head was kind of a big deal. The blank, if slightly hostile, stare that he had turned on them all as they huddled around his bed had resulted in the doctors turfing them out and swarming the confused superhero. 

''Amnesia,'' the lead doctor had muttered later on as he stepped into the busy corridor outside the room Tony was resting in. ''A rather specific case of it really, as he seems to remember certain events after meeting you all, but not you yourselves.''

The Avengers had exchanged looks of concern and dismay and Peter felt his stomach churn.

''So, what does that mean exactly?'' Steve asked.

''I’m almost positive it’s temporary,'' the doctor had reassured with a small smile, ''it’ll just be a case of waiting for his memory to return naturally. He’s fully aware that he has memory loss so there’s no need to keep it a secret from him, but you will all have to just remain as supportive as you can and just be patient, I’m afraid.''

''How long will it take?''

That was the thing; nobody could say. Time was the key and there was no telling how long it would take before Tony could remember them all. 

 

***

 

It took Tony less than an hour after waking up to remember Rhodey.

Rhodey, fresh from a mission, didn’t even pause to speak to the others as he stormed into the medbay and right up to Tony’s bedside. The men had looked at each other for a moment, Rhodey patient and hopeful and Tony wary and suspicious, until Rhodey greeted him with a soft ''Hey, Tones'' and Tony immediately responded with ''Where you been, Platypus? I need some TLC here!''

The relief that emanated from Rhodey and Tony was felt by the others; hopeful grins and comforting shoulder pats were exchanged as they watched the two friends through the observation window and Peter bounced excitedly on his toes, positive that it wouldn’t be too long before Tony would remember him too. 

 

***

 

One look at Pepper as she stepped into room that evening was all it took before a soft smile had crossed Tony’s face and had him reaching out for her. Pepper sat by his bedside, tearful but smiling and they talked softly, gently, eyes affectionately gazing at each other. 

Peter had watched them with a smile, feeling the hope grow even stronger. Then, Rhodey had walked in with Morgan and Tony had all but broken down in tears as he clutched the squealing toddler close to his chest, laughing gruffly as she smothered his face in slobbery kisses. As happy as he was for them, Peter had felt something dark and bitter seize hold of his heart in that moment and had hurried away before his thoughts could linger on it for too long. 

 

***

 

It wasn’t so easy after that. 

Though out and about, Tony was clearly wary and doubtful about the other occupants of his tower.

He was friendly enough, but the sarcasm and empty grins were obvious. When Peter had met Tony, the man had softened already, had changed from the apathetic and selfish billionaire into a man who had something to fight for, people to care about, people to care about him. After Germany, the events with the ferry and Toomes, what happened on and after Titan and all the time they spent together had changed him even more, turned him into the man that cared greatly for Peter. 

What currently existed was someone that looked at Peter with a somewhat bored curiosity, like he didn’t understand why a teenager would have any place in his life whatsoever.

''Does he belong to one of you?'' he’d heard Tony ask Bruce a few days after the accident. The two men were sitting at the kitchen table eating breakfast and talking science when Peter had walked in to grab a drink before heading to his training session with Steve. He’d greeted them brightly, had received a warm smile from Bruce and a confused frown and bob of the head from Tony before he left the room quickly, tears stinging his eyes, wishing so hard that _his_ Tony was around to talk to. He heard Tony ask the question then and had paused, just out of sight of the doorway. 

''No,'' Bruce had replied slowly. ''He’s part of the team, he’s an Avenger, like the rest of us.''

''That kid is an Avenger?'' Tony’s voice was so full of doubt and disbelief that Peter had hurried away, unable to listen to any more. 

By the end of that evening, Tony had remembered Bruce. 

 

***

 

Clint and Nat were next. During a sparring session, one that Rhodey had practically dragged Tony to when the man had refused to leave his lab to spend time with the people living in his home, Nat had floored Tony with a swift kick and pinned him to the mat. 

Clint’s chuckle had made Tony whip his head round and shout ''Hey, she kicks your ass too, Legolas,'' and the look of stunned, pleased surprise on his face had quickly turned into a wide grin as both Clint and Nat swamped him in a hug that left him gasping for breath on the floor. 

Peter had smiled along with the rest of them, genuinely pleased. But that didn’t stop the sick rolling sensation in his stomach or the way his blood seemed to fizz with sadness. 

 

***

 

Thor, not one to sit idly by when his friends needed him, took a rather different approach to the whole situation. 

Loud booms and crackles reverberated regularly through various areas of the tower daily as Thor would appear dramatically wherever Tony was, hoping that it would shock or impress the man into remembering him. Peter could always sense when Thor was about to appear and would always make sure to stand well back; the others weren’t so lucky and had felt their share of nasty electric shocks as a result of the Norse God’s antics. 

Tony, though amused and intrigued by the whole thing, didn’t respond like Thor had hoped. 

''But my dear friend,'' Thor wailed one evening, throwing himself beside Tony on the couch with such force that the smaller man was nearly launched out of his seat. ''this cannot go on! What can I do to help you remember?''

''You got me, Point Break,'' Tony had quipped casually, ''maybe turn your disco ball mode on?''

Tony had barely expressed his happiness at gaining back another memory, another friend, before Thor had seized him in a bone-crushing hug. 

 

***

 

It was two and a half weeks since the accident and Peter felt utterly miserable. The others would look at him with sad, sympathetic looks as skirted around the tower, feeling like a stranger in what he considered to be his second home. 

Tony still regarded him strangely whenever they encountered one another. He’d make small talk with Peter, smile when necessary and interact with him on a professional level, much like during their first encounters with each other, except this version of Tony didn’t feel the same, didn’t seem like he really cared.

Peter tried not let it get to him, but there hadn’t been a single day since the accident where he hadn’t found himself nearly on the verge of tears as the weight of it all continued to build up on him. 

He just missed Tony so much. 

It was the first day of December and most of the household were in the middle of decorating the common room when Peter realized he couldn’t cope with the situation any longer. 

As he watched Steve boost Clint up onto his shoulders to try and hang a ream of tinsel upon the wall, ignoring the archer’s protest that he could just shoot the tinsel up with an arrow and a bit of tape, Peter had an idea. 

''We could use my web-shooters?'' he suggested, handing another bauble to Nat to hang on the ridiculously large tree. ''They’d hold everything up and I could probably get the webs to look like snowflakes.''

''Great idea, bughead!'' Clint had cheered gratefully as Steve dropped him back to the ground. 

Peter grinned as he headed for the elevator but Steve’s voice stopped him.

''You’re not going down to the lab, are you?''

There was something, a hesitation, a sadness, in his voice that made Peter stop and turn back to look at him. Steve’s face was conflicted, full of concern.

''My spare web-shooters are there,'' Peter had explained in a hushed voice.

''It’s just that Tony’s down there and,'' Steve laughed weakly, ''well, you know how he is, doesn’t like to be disturbed when he’s working.''

That wasn’t true. Or, at least, it hadn’t been true for a long time. Peter regularly barrelled into the lab without warning and Tony never seemed to mind. 

The smile Peter gave was painfully fake. ''It’ll be fine, I’ll just run in and out. It’ll only take a sec.''

He couldn’t help but feel like an intruder when he stepped into the lab. Everything had looked the same but felt different too, out of place somehow.

He’d made a beeline for the centre table where he and Tony had last been working on new designs for the Spider-Man suit when a hard voice stopped him.

''What are you doing down here, kid?''

Hearing the word ‘kid’ spoken without its usual affection made Peter’s jaw immediately tremble. He turned to look at Tony who was standing on the other side of the room, wrench in hand, oil smeared on his cheek and his brow furrowed over a heated stare. 

''I, erm,'' Peter stammered as he tried to remain calm, ''was just coming to get my spare web-shooters s-so I could help with the decorations upstairs.''

''And you normally just waltz in here whenever you feel like it?''

The question had been neither hostile or gentle. Peter had backed away then, headed for the door as quickly as he could. 

''I’m sorry, you usually just let me-,'' Peter had started to explain but Tony merely waved a wrench at him, as though bored with the conversation.

''Forget about it,'' he said wearily. ''Ask next time, alright? I don’t let anyone just come down here whenever they feel like it.''

The words had cut through Peter like a knife and with a whispered apology he had fled the lab, hurried past the others who called out to him in concern, and ran all the way back to his apartment.

After that night, Peter stopped coming by the tower so much. 

 

***

 

A week and a half later, he left school to find Pepper, dressed in a stylish winter coat and a pretty hat, waiting outside for him by Happy’s car. 

''I just wanted to see how you are,'' she said gently once they were seated in the back together.

Peter hadn’t quite been able to look at her. Instead he stared down at his hands as he reassured her that he was fine.

She told him that everybody was asking after him, wondering if he was okay when he didn’t respond to their messages, that they were all missing him. 

''Everybody?'' he had asked bitterly before immediately blushing at his bluntness. 

Pepper had merely reached out and taken both of his hands in hers and held them tightly. 

''He doesn’t mean to be so cold, Peter,'' she explained softly. ''He’s just scared and we both know scared Tony is a bit of an asshole. He knows that you’re important, that you matter to him, and that frightens him because he doesn’t understand that yet.''

''Morgan doesn’t scare him.''

''That’s because he remembers her, honey,'' Pepper said carefully. ''There’s still something missing in him and that’s you,'' she reached out to cup his cheek, ’’and I think deep down he knows that too.''

Peter had gazed at her with wet eyes when she gently stroked his cheek. ''But he _will_ remember you, Peter, I promise you.''

Peter looked away from her then, finding the honest belief in her eyes too much to bear. 

''Morgan misses her big brother too.''

He’d scrambled out of the car not long after that, into the apartment and into May’s waiting embrace where he cried for the rest of the night. 

 

***

 

It was strange how the situation affected Tony and Steve.

Having spent a childhood with a man who shunned his own son in favour of the missing soldier, Peter could understand why Tony looked at Steve with distaste and distrust. Steve, to his credit, accepted the coldness with all the usual politeness and good grace like he usually did. After all they’d been through, despite all of their differences and past mistakes, the bond that existed between the two men was strong, familial, unconditional and Peter could tell that Steve was struggling with being treated like a stranger by somebody he cared very much about. 

Selfishly it made Peter feel slightly better to know that there was somebody else feeling a bit like he did. 

Peter was there for the moment that Tony remembered Steve. 

He’d been forced into attending a training session with the rest of the team. He’d tried to get out of it but when Hawkeye and Black Widow turn up at your door and refuse to take no for an answer, you don’t really have much choice. 

He’d avoided Tony as much as he could, smiling politely when the man made an attempt at casual conversation with him, but otherwise he’d stuck to the corner of the room that Steve had assigned him and Clint to spar in. 

Not too long into the session, there was a loud smack, a groan, Steve’s concerned voice and then Tony was cackling like a maniac. Everybody turned to look at the man sprawled on the floor, clutching his face with one hand and his side with the other as he howled with laughter while Steve crouched beside him with a bemused frown. 

''Ah, Capsicle, I didn’t know you loved me that much.''

A bright, handsome grin had spread across Steve’s face before he met Tony halfway for a firm hug. Nat, Clint, Thor and Bruce had hurried over to express their delight and Peter had tried to feel the same, really tried, but he couldn’t fight the unbearable jealousy and blistering sorrow that came over him and it was all he could do to run out of the room before anybody noticed the heartbroken look on his face. 

 

***

 

The following evening was ferociously cold. With only ten days to go until Christmas, the city was the very picture of a winter wonderland; snow covered parts of the ground in thick white blankets and snowflakes fell in pretty flurries, sparkling prettily against the glowing backdrop while Christmas lights cast a bewitching luminosity into the night.

Peter gazed out at it from where he sat upon a high rooftop, clad in the Iron Spider suit sans mask with his winter coat draped over the top. Beside him, his phone played moody Christmas music on loudspeaker because he’d left his headphones at the tower the night before and he refused to go by and grab them.

His phone had blown up with calls after he left, with even a few being from Tony himself. Peter had watched the screen light up again and again with calls and messages and notifications before he’d thrown the thing onto his desk and crawled into bed, falling into a restless sleep to the sound of the phone vibrating over and over. 

After refusing May’s help with wrapping the presents he had bought for the team, Peter had spent most of the day taking on the few nutcases who actually wanted to commit crimes in the snow before seeking refuge on one of his favourite rooftops, remaining there long after it became dark. 

Focusing on the music, Peter curled in on himself, drawing up his knees and resting his head on them as the words filled the frosty air around him. 

_''Oh, I wish I had a river...I could skate away on…''_ he sung along sadly.

The familiar sound of something coming to land behind him cut through the melancholy tune. 

''Bit of a depressing song for Christmas, don’t you think?''

''It’s one of your favourites,'' Peter mumbled into his knees.

''I know.'' Tony replied softly after a moment. 

Peter hunched in on himself even more as Tony joined him on the edge of the roof. 

''Look, kid, I know all of this has been really hard on you.'' Tony said carefully, slowly. ''And I’m sorry that I don’t…know you like I’m supposed to.''

Peter clenched his teeth as his eyes stung with tears. He was _so tired_ of crying, of feeling miserable and lonely and abandoned and forgotten. 

''I…'' Tony let out a breath, creating a swirl of mist in front of them. ''I don’t really know what to do to make it better.''

When Peter didn’t answer, Tony sighed. ''You know, it’s hard for me too, kid.''

Something inside Peter snapped. With a wrenching sob, he leapt to his feet and glared furiously down at Tony.

''Oh, it’s hard for you?'' he gasped, puffs of air rapidly appearing as he breathed heavily. ''So, so you miss hanging out in the lab together, do you? Or or or watching films under a blanket fort or going out for pizza or to that gross Shawarma place that you like?''

Tony stood up with his hands held out placatingly in front of him. 

''I didn’t mean-''

''You remember me dying in your arms on some planet, or all the months after when you were unconscious after you brought us all back?'' Peter’s voice cracked under the force of his yelling, the words turning hoarse. ''Or all the nights we’d stay up together because of the nightmares we had for m-months.'' He wiped his eyes pointlessly. ''O-or when Morgan was born and you g-got me that shirt that said b-big brother on it because you wanted me to k-know I was part of your f-family…''

He fell forward at the waist, propping his hands on his knees and sucking in a deep, shaky lungful of air as the memories bombarded him, seized his emotions and twisted them into an even tighter knot. 

''Listen, kid-''

'' _Don’t call me that!''_

The scream echoed shrilly around them, harsh and loud in the frigid night air. Tony stared at Peter and Peter could see the light that was missing in his eyes, the light that used to always be there whenever Tony looked at him. 

It just wasn’t there anymore.

‘’You don’t know _anything_.’’ Peter hissed through clenched teeth. 

''I know that you’re important.'' Tony insisted, moving towards him but pausing his movements as Peter flinched away. 

''But you don’t remember why!'' Peter shouted back. ''And I know you can’t help it, I know that,'' he choked on his words, overwhelmed and undone. ''But you remembered everybody else!''

He gazed at Tony’s face then and felt the fight go out of him. 

''How can you still not remember me?''

The broken whisper seemed to burn the air between them, sending them both stumbling back from one another, Peter with tears cascading down his flushed cheeks and Tony with a tortured look on his face. 

''I’m sorry.''

Peter shook his head at the apology, scooped up his phone and leapt over the side of the building with a whimper, allowing himself to fall as far as he could before deploying the web-shooters. He heard Tony shout after him but he didn’t look back.

 

***

 

''Kid! Can you hear me? Peter!''

The voice talking to him sounded so far away that Peter had to strain his ears to hear it.

''C’mon, Peter…''

His body screamed in protest as multiple hands touched him and he felt himself being pressed against something warm and solid.

Something comforting and familiar. 

He remembered those stupid creatures had appeared in the city again (apparently Loki just couldn’t help himself) and Peter had been one of the first on the scene after Thor had sent out a distress call. He had been in the middle of launching a broken street sign into a particularly large group of the snarling beasts when a flash of red and gold shooting past had distracted him. Caught off guard, Peter didn’t see the gigantic claw until it struck him with the force of a bus, sending him flying through the air and crashing to the icy ground. As soon as he hit the floor, something had collided with his leg and pain exploded through his body, turning his vision dark and making the air ring.

There were voices all around him, heavy footsteps fading in and out as he struggled to get out of the darkness.

Something touched his leg and he screamed, trying to twist away. 

''Don’t! You’re hurting him-Peter, you need to listen, just hold on, okay?''

That voice…

''Tony, I need to get to his leg, he’s losing a lot of blood…''

‘’Bruce, where’s the _damn medical team_?’’

The voice yelling above him was sharp and full of fear. 

''They should be here any min-Tony, you need to calm down! This won’t help him!''

A warm hand tapped his face roughly. 

''Kid! Don’t do this to me, c’mon!''

Tony…

''You need to stay awake, okay? I’ve got you, it’s gonna be okay.''

It was _Tony_ …

With as much effort as he could muster, Peter cracked open one eye to look at the figure hunched over him. Dark messy hair, a goatee and panicked brown eyes swam into view against a backdrop of falling snow. To the side, an empty red and gold suit stood guard and he caught the odd glimpse of Steve and Bruce rushing past before he turned his blurry gaze back to the man holding him. 

Tony huffed out a short laugh and smiled shakily as their eyes met. ''There you are, kiddo. You gotta stay awake for me, just for a little bit.''

With a groan, Peter moved his arm and pressed his hand weakly against Tony’s chest, fingers curling feebly against the fabric of his shirt. 

''Y…you…'' Peter murmured, tongue suddenly unwilling to move properly. 

''I’m here, buddy,'' Tony said quickly. ''I’m here.''

Hands pulled him even closer as his vision began to darken once more. 

''I’m right here, buddy. I’m here, I know you, _I know you_.''

Peter forced both of his eyes open. The eyes looking back at him were ones that he knew so well, had seen glisten with tears and blaze with rage, sparkle with joy and glow with love, but right now they looked back at him with such intensity, such fear, such wonder, that Peter didn’t want to look away, moaning in protest as the darkness came back to claim him. Sorrow filled him as Tony, his Tony, disappeared from view. He didn’t want to go, not when he could hear Tony’s voice so full of awe and joy, not when he could finally see _his_ Tony again. 

‘’Peter? No, no c’mon, Underoos, stay with me!’’

Everything faded. 

 

***

 

The first thing he noticed was the hand in his hair. 

Fingers weaved gently through the curls, sweeping them upwards before smoothing them down again. The movement was repeated again and again and Peter found it so relaxing that he felt himself nearly drift off again. 

The next thing he noticed was the voices. 

Quiet voices hummed gently around him, creating a pleasant buzzing sound. He wanted to hear more, wanted to know what they were saying.

He pushed forward in the darkness, trying to free himself from the blackness clinging to him, and suddenly his body burst into existence with every fibre screeching in protest.  
He groaned loudly and the noise surrounding him disappeared before somebody softly said his name. 

With another moan, Peter focused as hard as he could until a soft light became visible. The face above him was blurry and he squinted, willing it to become clearer. 

The dark unruly hair…

The intense brown eyes…

The scruffy goatee…

''Tony.''

The name fell from Peter’s lips as the man’s face bloomed before him. 

''Spider-baby,'' Tony breathed and Peter saw it then, saw the familiar light in his eyes, the soft smile that made feel Peter feel so warm and safe. 

''Y-you,’’ Peter rasped, licking his dry lips, ‘’know m-me?''

He felt his stomach drop unpleasantly as the warm smile on Tony’s face disappeared, only to be replaced with an expression of such agony that Peter immediately felt his eyes water, already feeling the hope that had been brewing inside him start to fester and turn rotten. 

His breathing hitched in surprise as Tony moved his hands to gently cup Peter’s face.

''I know you,'' Tony whispered, inching his head forward so that they were eye to eye.

''You’re my Peter.''

Peter barely had to flutter his arms upwards in response before Tony scooped him up gently into a hug, one hand cupping his neck and the other securely splayed against his lower back. Peter ignored the ferocious burning pain that shot through his body as he gripped Tony back fiercely, nuzzling into the crook of Tony’s neck and inhaling the comforting scent of motor oil and aftershave. 

''You’re here,'' he croaked, letting the tears fall freely as relief spread through him. 

It was over. Tony was here, Tony knew him, Tony was back.

_Tony was here._

''I’m here,'' Tony said softly, giving him a gentle squeeze. ''I’m so sorry, kid.''

''S'’okay,'' Peter replied sluggishly, sinking further into the man as a wave of exhaustion swept over him.

''You need to know,'' Tony’s voice was thick and strained, ‘’that even when I couldn’t remember, I still knew somewhere deep down, still felt that you mattered, that you were important.''

He tilted forward until his forehead was pressed against Peter’s shoulder. ''You mean the world to me, kiddo.''

Peter nodded. ''Love you,'' was all he could say in return, too tired to do anything else. 

Sleep came to claim him then, swaying him seductively back into a warm and peaceful embrace. He felt a kiss upon his forehead as he drifted off and heard Tony’s voice, as soft as he’d ever heard it, whisper ''Love you too, Spider-baby,'' before he succumbed to a restful slumber.

 

***

 

''What’s this?''

Peter smiled shyly at Tony as he held out a large thin box wrapped in shiny red paper with a gold bow on top. The rest of the team, along with Pepper, May and a very excitable Morgan, were attacking their own presents with gusto; it was a ridiculous but endearing sight and Peter watched them fondly for a while before seeking out Tony. The man had taken refuge in the kitchen, claiming his need for coffee after Thor had all but smashed him into the floor with a hug in response to the disco ball Tony had given him.

''You know I don’t like people handing me things, kid.''

The smile on Tony’s face was playful and Peter merely rolled his eyes before clasping his hands together anxiously as Tony took the present from him. 

''It, um, isn’t much but I didn’t really know what else to get you,'' he explained.

''Don’t know how you’re going to top that remote-controlled Iron Man toy from last year,'' Tony teased as he gave the box a curious shake. 

Peter shrugged bashfully and held his breath as Tony finally pulled off the paper. His brow curved into a frown and his lips parted as he studied the object in his hand. 

''Pete, this is…''

The object was a frame full of pictures. Some were posed for, like the group shot from Tony and Pepper’s wedding, while others were candid snaps; the one with Thor throwing a hilariously horrified Tony high into the air while Steve clutched his sides with laughter was one of Peter’s favourites. There were many photos of Tony and Peter; ridiculous selfies, the fake intern certificate, caught up in an experiment in the lab with goggles shoved into their hair and oil on their arms, the sneaky snap Clint had taken of the pair of them fast asleep on the couch with Morgan sprawled safely between them. 

The centre picture, taken from a recording within the archives that FRIDAY kept, was the most special in Peter’s opinion. It showed Peter standing, sleepy and wearing his Hello Kitty pyjamas, in the lab with an oil-smeared Tony smiling affectionately at him and stroking a hand through his tousled hair. Peter remembered that night, knowing it was the first time he had headed down to the lab after a nightmare, desperate to see Tony, to physically touch him, to make sure everything really was okay; it happened many times after that and Tony had greeted him patiently with soft reassurances and kind touches and soothing words every time. 

''So,’’ Peter asked, ‘’is it okay?''

Tony cleared his throat, opened his mouth, and then closed it again. Afraid that he’d broken him, Peter quickly reached out to take the frame but Tony pulled it out of his grasp, holding up his other hand to indicate that he should wait. 

''What’s wrong?''

''God, I’ve aged beautifully.''

Peter blinked before gaping at him.

''I mean, seriously, I know this only spans a few years but damn,'' Tony waved his free hand at the frame, ''I just keep getting better and better.''

His eyes glinted mischievously and he’d barely grinned before Peter was batting at him playfully, expressing his mock outrage.

''Hey, hey,'' Tony laughed, ducking away from Peter and holding the frame above his head. ''That’s not very nice!’''

'' _You’re_ not very nice!''

They grappled playfully for a moment before Tony snatched Peter up in a one-armed hug, squeezing him tight as they looked at the frame together.

''I was gonna give you something different,'' Peter said after a while, ''like a jokey golf membership or something, but then after what happened,'' he swallowed as he felt Tony look at him, ''after everything that’s ever happened, I just wanted to give you something to show you, well...you know.''

When Tony didn’t reply, Peter looked down at his shoes in embarrassment, scuffing the floor with the toe of the left one. 

''It’s stupid, I know.''

He stumbled as Tony reached out to place the frame on the counter and yelped in surprise as he found himself face to face with the man, steady hands gripping his shoulders and a firm but earnest face ducked down to stare into his own. 

''With perhaps the exception of that pretty pink doodle that Morgan did for me, because let’s face facts it was an absolute masterpiece, it’s the best thing I’ve ever been given.''

Peter would have laughed but the serious tone of Tony’s voice told him that it was no joke. 

''You’re getting real mushy in your old age,'' Peter quipped shakily, earning a gentle cuff round the ear.

''Hey, watch how you speak to your elders!''

''Sorry, _dad_.''

He’d meant for it to sound sarcastic and teasing, nothing more than a playful dig, but the word had fallen from his lips reverently and softly, loaded and full of meaning.  
It had always been an unspoken thing; they knew, just like everybody else did, that the bond between them was worth everything and more, that they loved each other like they did, but there was still a line, a boundary that hadn’t been crossed.

Until now. 

Peter had felt it for what seemed like so long, had felt the word, the notion, the feeling bloom into life somewhere in his heart the second Tony had seized him in a sobbing embrace after the events of the Snap were reversed, clutching him tighter than tight on the rusty ground of Titan. 

He’d harboured it like a secret, precious and oh so delicate, had let it grow as he and Tony became ever closer, had let it flourish and flounder with hope and doubt as each day, each mountain and molehill, came and went and then when Morgan had come into the world and Tony had proudly deposited the precious baby girl into Peter’s arms with a hushed ‘meet your big brother, baby-doll,’ Peter knew he would never look at the man ever again as anything but a father.

They looked at each other as the stunned silence seemed to stretch on and on forever, though it had only really been mere seconds. Peter watched, a goofy and sheepish smile appearing on his face, as Tony’s eyebrows lowered from their high position of surprise and his slack mouth pulled into a beaming grin that made his eyes crinkle with genuine happiness. 

''No need to be sorry, son,'' he spoke the word casually, naturally, as though it had always been true. ''You can’t help being as sassy as your old man.''

''So you admit that you’re old then?''

''Oo, you little-''

Moment broken, Peter threw himself up into the air and scurried across the ceiling, laughing as Tony chased after him shouting creative threats that would never come to pass. They quickly found themselves joining the others in the sea of shiny wrapping paper and Peter took the opportunity to fall gracefully from the ceiling, never doubting that Tony would catch him. Tony stumbled back under the sudden weight, clutching Peter tightly and swearing about how heavy he was before falling back into the couch where a happy Morgan joined the madness, scrambling over Tony and Peter and squealing nonsense words loudly. 

''You two are such idiots,'' Pepper said with a fond roll of the eyes. 

Peter and Tony merely shared a knowing look, grinning and breathless with delight. 

Like father, like son.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope it was okay! Please leave kudos and comments if you enjoyed :)
> 
> I'll see you all on the other side of Endgame <3 now somebody come and hold my hand!! *cries*


End file.
